Thai police raid Chabad, Jewish institutions in Bangkok amid ongoing foreign business investigation

Thai authorities raided three Jewish institutions in Bangkok on Thursday, including the Chabad Bangkok Foundation, a Chabad kindergarten, and the Jewish Association of Thailand, as part of a broader investigation into what officials described as a "network of businesses and assets linked to Israeli nationals" in a country that restricts foreign ownership of businesses.

Thailand's Special Investigation Department (DSI), which operates under the country's Justice Ministry, said the investigation centers on suspicions that Thai nationals were used as nominees "for the purpose of conducting business activities and holding assets in violation of the law."

Rabbi Nechemya Wilhelm, the Chabad emissary in Bangkok, told Walla on Friday that authorities had informed him of plans to inspect foreign institutions operating in Thailand. He said Chabad staff had fully cooperated with investigators.

"We have nothing to hide," Wilhelm emphasized. "We operate strictly in accordance with Thai law, for the benefit of travelers and Jews, and engage in charity and acts of kindness for everyone. Our doors are always open."

"We welcomed them warmly and gave them every document they wanted," he added. "They said they were checking everything, not because they knew something was wrong, but because they had come to inspect."

Wilhelm stressed that the investigation had not disrupted Chabad's activities.

"We are continuing our activities as usual," he noted. "About 500 people are expected to come here this Shabbat, and there is nothing preventing that."

More than 10 investigative and law enforcement agencies participated in the raids, including the police, Revenue Department, Immigration Bureau, Anti-Money Laundering Office, and Lands Department.

Investigators are examining the identities of individuals who control the businesses and their ultimate beneficiaries, as well as funding sources, real estate transactions, company operations, and the Thai citizenship granted to some involved.

Thai Authorities investigate Chabad institutions in Bangkok

The latest operation focused primarily on Chabad-connected institutions. Among approximately 40 foreign workers, authorities identified three Myanmar nationals suspected of working without valid permits and remaining in Thailand illegally. All three are expected to be deported.

At the Chabad kindergarten offices in Bangkok's Bang Rak district, investigators seized documents relating to the registration of nonprofit organizations and companies, donations, membership records, land purchases, construction projects, tax payments, restaurants, hotels, and Chabad house operations.

The DSI said more than 61 companies were registered at the same address, with some listing the same individuals as directors or shareholders.

Wilhelm denied that Chabad had any connection to those companies, explaining that the documents were found at an accountant's office whose owner provides services to numerous businesses.

"It is natural for an accountant to work with other companies," he said. "That does not mean they are our companies or companies connected to us."

During a third raid, at the Jewish Association of Thailand in Bangkok's Khlong Toei district, authorities found two Laotian nationals suspected of working without permits. Legal proceedings were also initiated against their employer.

The Jewish Association of Thailand is a longstanding organization established before Chabad began operating in the country.

Authorities also raided the construction site of Beth Elisheva, Bangkok's oldest synagogue and a center of religious and social life for the city's longstanding Jewish community.

The Jewish Association of Thailand manages the site in the Sukhumvit area, while Chabad oversees religious activities there. A new synagogue is being built to replace the original building, which could no longer accommodate the community's needs and was demolished to make way for a modern structure.

The authorities' statement did not accuse the religious institutions themselves of committing offenses related to financing, property ownership, or business activities. No arrests of Israeli nationals were reported during the operation.

Raids follow investigation into alleged foreign ownership violations

The raids follow an earlier investigation in Thailand's Chonburi province involving a company called Cozy Beach View.

A day before the raids, the DSI announced that the company, an Israeli national serving as one of its directors, and a Thai shareholder had been summoned or charged in a separate case involving alleged violations of Thailand's Foreign Business Act.

Investigators suspect the Thai national helped a foreigner maintain ownership of a business without obtaining the required permits.

Thai authorities emphasized that the country remains open to foreign nationals seeking to invest and conduct business legally. However, they warned that local companies and Thai nominees could not be used to circumvent restrictions on foreign ownership of businesses and property.

Wilhelm reiterated that Chabad welcomed the investigation and remained confident that its activities complied with Thai law.

"They have every right to inspect, and we will be happy for them to check whatever needs to be checked," said Wilhelm.

"We obey the law, we cooperate, and we welcome any inspection, and we are confident they will see that everything is in order," he continued. "We are here for the many Israeli travelers and Jews who find themselves in the city or live here, and our doors are always open, and we are busy with charity and acts of kindness from morning until evening for anyone who needs it."